Injuries resulting from the operation of machinery are well known and include injuries to body parts that become caught in machinery. Sometimes, articles of clothing become caught in operating machinery that also leads to injuries.
Prior art discloses several types of mechanisms that attempt to prevent or minimize the possibility of operators being injured when working with machines. These devices include the use of mechanisms, special mats, shoes, gloves, or other equipment that are cumbersome, expensive, or unreliable. Further, some of these devices are programmed to stop only after an operator makes contact with a danger point. These safety devices give a false sense of security to the operator and can add additional hazards to the machine. Therefore, it is desired to have a device that improves upon these deficiencies in the art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a system that ensures that a machine will not operate when an individual enters a danger zone.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that detects when an operator is near a danger zone.
Another object of the present invention if to provide a system that has a control system that will gradually shut down as an operator nears the danger zone.
These and other objectives, features, and enhancements will be shown by the following description.